This essay draws primarily upon Ralph Bunche's personal papers and the two most recent scholarly biographies of him (Henry, 1999; Urquhart, 1993) to analyze his formative years and what they might illuminate about the formation of character. It also places this chapter of Bunche's life within its larger historical context. Special attention is given to Bunche's years in Los Angeles, because it was during this time that Bunche first became a respected public figure and a leader of his generation.